Disciple Maker & Trainer
I am a disciple of Jesus Christ committed to the Great Commission—making disciples who make disciples. My calling is to help believers and churches return to the simplicity and purity of being the Church as modeled in the book of Acts.
I work with both emerging disciple-making groups and established churches, walking with leaders and members to rediscover simplicity, obedience, and multiplication. My training equips believers to transition from program-driven structures into Christ-centered communities that live out the gospel in everyday life.
Beyond gatherings, I also help disciples embrace a holistic lifestyle—integrating their faith with their families, communities, and even their economic activities, so that business, farming, and daily work all become platforms for disciple-making and Kingdom impact.
As a trainer, my passion is to raise trainers of trainers—ordinary believers empowered by the Holy Spirit to disciple others, plant new fellowships, and multiply movements. I emphasize:
- Simplicity: Church as people, not programs.
- Obedience: Measuring success by faithfulness to Jesus’ commands.
- Holistic Living: Aligning spiritual life with economic, social, and community life.
- Multiplication: Every disciple can disciple others.
- Mission: Reaching the lost and serving communities with the love and power of Christ.
My vision is to see movements of disciples and churches living as the Body of Christ—breaking bread, sharing life, integrating work and witness, and advancing God’s Kingdom among all nations.
The journey from traditional church models to simple, Spirit-led communities is not always easy. Just as Israel had to leave behind the patterns of Egypt, many of us must unlearn habits formed in institutional church culture. Yet the invitation of Jesus remains the same: “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19).
It’s not where you stand, but where you’re headed: a step from monuments toward movement is hope, but a step from movement toward monument is ruin. Always remember that, A step toward a movement redeems the lost; a step toward Monument condemns the saved.
Here is a simple guide to help believers and fellowships take the first steps:
1. Recenter on Jesus as Head A simple church starts with Christ, not structures. Let His Word and Spirit lead every decision. Gather in His name (Matthew 18:20), trusting His presence is enough.
2. Begin in Homes Instead of investing in new buildings, open your home. Share meals, pray together, read Scripture, and let fellowship be natural. A living room can be as holy behold your imagination of any other sacred places of worship when Jesus is at the center.
3. Equip Every Believer as a Priest Reject the idea that ministry belongs only to a few. Teach and model that every believer is a priest (1 Peter 2:9), called to intercede, share the gospel, and disciple others. Encourage everyone to discover and use their spiritual gifts.
4. Practice Communal Leadership Shift from a pyramid model to a circle. Decisions should be made together in prayer, not dictated from the top down. Leaders are shepherds and servants, not rulers.
5. Keep Mission at the Core Simple churches are not inward clubs but outward families. Ask regularly: Who is not yet reached? Who can we love, serve, and share the gospel with? Align all activity with the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19–20).
6. Shed the Baggage Release what drains life: endless fundraising, programs for entertainment, competition between churches. Keep only what strengthens love, discipleship, and mission.
7. Multiply, Don’t Monumentalize Encourage disciples to start new gatherings when groups grow. Like seeds scattered, multiplication ensures the gospel spreads further. Movements thrive when growth is organic, not centralized.
Reflection Questions:
1. Which step of the transition roadmap speaks most to me right now—and why?
2. What baggage do I still need to release in order to embrace simplicity?
3. Am I willing to see my home, my gifts, and my life as part of God’s living Movement rather than a lifeless monument? A Final Word The church is not a monument of stone or a program to maintain. It is a living body, a family, a Spirit-led movement of disciples making disciples. The transition may feel costly, but what you gain is priceless: freedom, simplicity, and the joy of seeing the Kingdom expand. It’s time to leave behind the baggage of monuments and embrace the beauty of the movement. Will you take the step?
When Jesus gave the Great Commission, He kept it simple: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them…and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19–20). He promised His presence, but He never commanded His followers to raise monuments or build institutions. His focus was always on people, not property; obedience, not overhead.
The Baggage We Carry
1. Church Structures
Buildings are not evil in themselves, and where they already exist, they can serve a purpose. But the early church multiplied without constructing sanctuaries. Too often, new buildings become the main focus—consuming time, money, and energy that could be spent on disciple-making. Jesus’ Kingdom does not depend on walls of stone.
2. Financial Burdens
Much of modern church life revolves around fundraising—keeping up facilities, running programs, or meeting budgets. This often drains believers instead of equipping them. In contrast, the early disciples shared resources freely (Acts 2:44–45), focusing on needs and mission rather than maintaining systems.
3. Clergy-Centered Systems
When ministry is limited to a few professionals, most believers remain passive. Yet Scripture calls us a “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9). Every believer is called, gifted, and empowered by the Spirit to serve, teach, and disciple others. The church is healthiest when everyone participates, not when ministry is reserved for a few.
The Contrast
The first disciples turned the world upside down without buildings, budgets, or professional staff. Their strength was in Spirit-filled communities, multiplying from home to home, neighborhood to neighborhood. Where we often build monuments, Jesus calls us to build movements.
Every Home a Hub of Mission
What if every home became a center of Kingdom life? Meals could be shared as communion, living rooms could host worship and prayer, and families could disciple neighbors. Homes would become launching pads for the Great Commission—simple, reproducible, and Spirit-led.
A Call to Return to Simplicity
It’s time to shed the baggage of monuments and rediscover the movement Jesus started. His Kingdom does not advance through massive buildings or professional hierarchies—it spreads through ordinary disciples making disciples, in ordinary homes, with extraordinary power from the Spirit.And His promise still holds: “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).He is not confined to monuments. He is moving with His people. Will you move with Him?
Reflective Questions:
1. Which traditions or practices from institutional church culture still shape my view of following Jesus—and do they help or hinder disciple-making?
2. How might letting go of financial or structural pressures free me to focus more on people and relationships?
3. In what practical way can I simplify my faith practice this week to align more closely with the early church model?
When people looked at the early church, what struck them most was not their buildings, wealth, or programs. It was their love. Jesus Himself declared, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34–35).Love was the defining mark of the early movement. It was this radical love—sacrificial, practical, and Spirit-empowered—that turned households into churches, neighbors into brothers and sisters, and enemies into friends.
Love as the Atmosphere for Growth
Gifts and leaders do not flourish in environments of fear, competition, or control. They flourish in love. When disciples know they are accepted, valued, and encouraged, they step out in faith to use their gifts. The church becomes a greenhouse for growth, where spiritual fruit ripens and gifts multiply. Paul reminds us that even the greatest gifts—prophecy, knowledge, tongues—are meaningless without love (1 Corinthians 13:1–3). Love is not optional; it is the soil in which every ministry takes root.
Developing Gifts in a Loving Environment
1. Space to Contribute Paul described gatherings where “each of you has a hymn, a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation” (1 Corinthians 14:26). In communities of love, everyone contributes. No gift is too small, no voice unimportant.
2. Encouragement Over Criticism In a loving environment, mistakes are seen as opportunities to grow, not reasons for shame. Leaders cheer on new disciples as they learn, just as parents encourage children taking their first steps.
3. Equipping, Not Controlling Ephesians 4:11–12 shows that apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers exist to equip the saints—not to dominate them. In love, leaders lift others up rather than securing their own positions.
4. Celebrating Diversity Love recognizes that the body of Christ needs many different parts—hands, feet, eyes, and ears (1 Corinthians 12). Unity is not uniformity; it is the beautiful harmony of diverse gifts serving one Lord. Building Communities of Love Today• Share meals regularly, not just sermons.• Open space in gatherings for testimonies, prayers, songs, and Spirit-led words.• Create a culture where generosity is normal and needs are met within the family.• Release disciples into ministry early, trusting the Spirit to shape and refine them.
Reflective Questions:
1. Is love the defining mark of my fellowship? If not, what has taken its place?
2. How am I helping others discover and use their spiritual gifts?
3. What would it look like if “everyone contributed” when we gather (1 Corinthians14:26)?
A Final Challenge
Monuments impress, but movements transform. The world does not need more lifeless monuments built on programs, personalities, or performance. It needs communities of love and gifts—living movements where Christ is the Head, the Spirit empowers, and every disciple plays their part. Beloved, the invitation is before us: Will we settle for a monument, or will we join the living movement of Jesus that is still turning the world upside down? "Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy." (1 Corinthians 14:1
Leadership is one of the most critical areas where the church must shed the baggage of Egypt. For centuries, we have inherited the pyramid model—a system where one or a few individuals hold the highest authority while others serve beneath them. But Jesus and the apostles modeled something radically different: leadership as service, shared responsibility, and mutual submission in love. To move from monuments to movements, we must reimagine leadership—not as a pyramid, but as a circle.
The Pyramid Model
The pyramid is a structure of control: one at the top, layers of hierarchy beneath, and the majority at the bottom with little voice or power. This model is efficient for empires, armies, and corporations, but it is destructive for the family of God.
In pyramid systems:
- Authority is concentrated in a few hands.
- The majority are passive recipients rather than active participants.
- Decisions flow downward instead of being discerned together.
- Power dynamics easily breed pride, abuse, and dependence.
This is why Jesus rebuked His disciples when they argued about who was the greatest: “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them… Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (Matthew 20:25–26).
The Circle Model
The circle reflects the Kingdom: Christ at the center, every member equally valuable, each one contributing their God-given gift. No one is higher or lower; all are interconnected. Leadership in a circle is not about position but about function.
In circle communities:
- Christ alone is the Head (Colossians 1:18).
- Every member of the Body has a role (1 Corinthians 12:12–27).
- Decisions are discerned together in prayer and submission to the Spirit.
- Leadership is shared, fluid, and servant-hearted.
Circles foster empowerment. Instead of dependence on one leader, disciples are trained and released to disciple others. Authority is not hoarded; it is multiplied.
The Body of Christ Metaphor
Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 12 shatters the pyramid mindset. The church is not a hierarchy but a body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” Every part is essential, and all are dependent on the Head—Christ. This metaphor leaves no room for celebrity pastors or untouchable hierarchies. Instead, it calls for interdependence, humility, and unity.
When leadership is seen as function within the body rather than position above the body, movements thrive. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers exist not to dominate but to equip the saints for the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:11–12).
A Crucial Question
As we consider leadership in our communities, we must honestly ask:
Is our leadership empowering or controlling?
- Does it release people into their priesthood, or does it centralize authority?
- Does it encourage disciples to hear God directly, or does it make them dependent on human mediators?
- Does it multiply leaders, or does it protect positions?
True Kingdom leadership serves, equips, and steps aside so others can flourish. Anything else is an Egypt hangover.
A Final Word
The world builds pyramids. Jesus builds circles. Movements thrive when leadership is reimagined—not as control from the top, but as service from the center, with Christ alone as Head. Let us cast off the pyramid, embrace the circle, and together reflect the Body of Christ in all its beauty.
"For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body… Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." (1 Corinthians 12:13, 27)
The heartbeat of the early church was not programs, buildings, or titles—it was family. In Acts 2:42–47, we see disciples who ate together, prayed together, shared possessions, and cared for one another as brothers and sisters. This was not a strategy for church growth; it was the natural overflow of love in God’s household. If we are to move from monuments to movements, we must recover this vision of church as a spiritual family.
What Makes a Spiritual Family?
A spiritual family is not bound by bloodline but by the Spirit. Jesus said, “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:50). The church is not an event we attend, but a divine family where true love flows.
- Shared Life. The early believers shared meals, homes, and hearts. They knew each other’s struggles and victories. True discipleship happens in the rhythm of life, not just at formal gatherings.
- Mutual Care. When one suffered, all suffered; when one rejoiced, all rejoiced (1 Corinthians 12:26). This mutual care is what turns a group of individuals into a family.
- Love that Acts. Love was not just words; it was visible in generosity and sacrifice. No one claimed their possessions as their own (Acts 4:32). A spiritual family bears one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2).
Breaking Free from Orphan Thinking
Many believers today struggle with what we might call orphan thinking—living disconnected, isolated, or striving to prove their worth. Institutional models can feed this by making people spectators instead of sons and daughters. But in Christ, we are adopted into God’s family (Romans 8:15). The church must reflect this reality by being a place of belonging, identity, and unconditional love.
Practical Ways to Cultivate Spiritual Families
- Small Gatherings in Homes. Homes create space for authentic fellowship. Around a table, people are more likely to open their hearts, share stories, and build trust.
- Open Participation. Instead of one person dominating, encourage everyone to share what God is teaching them, to pray, and to use their spiritual gifts. This multiplies maturity and bonds.
- Regular Meals Together. Breaking bread is not just symbolic—it’s relational. Eating together breaks walls and builds unity.
- Intentional Discipleship. Parents disciple children, older believers mentor younger ones, and every disciple learns to make disciples. Family means no one is left behind.
- Shared Mission. Families don’t just look inward; they look outward. Spiritual families live on mission together—serving neighbors, reaching the unreached, and showing Christ’s love as a unit.
The Power of True Spiritual Families
When the church functions as a family, it becomes irresistible to the world. Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). Movements multiply not through grand strategies but through families of love reproducing more families of love.
Reflective Questions:
1. In what ways does my fellowship currently feel like a true family—and where does it feel more like an institution?
2. How am I intentionally showing Christ-like love to others in my community?
3. What practices could help my group grow in deeper spiritual family bonds?
A Final Word
True revival will not come from monuments of stone but from movements of love. By embracing our identity as God’s household, we can cast off isolation, competition, and performance-driven religion. In their place, we will cultivate communities where grace abounds, gifts flourish, and disciples multiply.
"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God." (Ephesians 2:19)
Beloved, the church is not an orphanage—it is a family. Let us build it as such.
When we speak of Egypt in Scripture, it is more than just a geographical place. Egypt symbolizes bondage, worldliness, and the systems of man that enslave God’s people. Though the Israelites were physically delivered from Egypt, their hearts and minds often remained chained to its influence. The same danger confronts the church today.
The Spiritual Significance of Egypt
Egypt represents the temptation to depend on human systems instead of God’s presence. Israel had seen the splendor of Egypt’s pyramids, the strength of its armies, and the order of its leadership structures. They had also witnessed Egypt’s worship of idols—fertility gods, sun gods, and animal deities that promised prosperity but led to spiritual death. Even after crossing the Red Sea, Israel carried Egypt in their hearts, building a golden calf in the wilderness (Exodus 32).
For believers today, Egypt’s shadow lingers whenever we adopt worldly models for God’s church. Instead of living as a holy priesthood (1 Peter 2:9), we sometimes look to systems, hierarchies, and religious performances to define success. But God has always desired a people who worship Him in Spirit and truth, not a crowd impressed by outward monuments.
Common Church Hangovers from Egypt
Rejecting God’s Kingship
In 1 Samuel 8, Israel demanded a king like the nations around them. In doing so, they rejected God as their true King. Today, many churches still carry this Egypt hangover by elevating one individual—or a small council—to the highest authority. This pyramid-style leadership quenches the priesthood of all believers, leaving many passive rather than active in mission.
Neglecting Our Priesthood
God called Israel to be a kingdom of priests (Exodus 19:6), mediating His presence to the nations. But instead of embracing this role, they left it to a few. Similarly, many modern believers have surrendered their priestly calling, leaving ministry to “professionals.” Yet through Christ, every disciple has direct access to God and a calling to intercede for others (Hebrews 4:16).
Idolatry Repackaged
The Israelites imitated Egypt’s idol worship, bowing to fertility gods and Asherah poles even in the promised land (Judges 2:11–13). In our context, idols may not be golden calves, but the prosperity gospel has taken deep root. It promises wealth, success, and comfort as proof of God’s favor, distracting believers from the true gospel of the Cross. Like Egypt’s idols, it appeals to human desires but leads to spiritual slavery.
Performance-Based Religion
Egypt’s culture was filled with rituals, sacrifices, and superstitions. Israel often copied these patterns rather than resting in God’s covenant love. Likewise, today’s church can slip into performance-driven programs—events, crusades, celebrity leadership and fundraising—while neglecting the simplicity of discipleship and obedience to Christ.
A Call Back to God’s Design
The early church shows us the alternative: a movement of Spirit-filled disciples where Christ alone is King, every believer functions as a priest, and idolatry is rejected in favor of authentic worship. Leadership was shared, communities were interdependent, and multiplication flowed organically.
If we are to escape Egypt’s shadow, we must reclaim these truths:
- Jesus is the only Head of the church (Colossians 1:18).
- Every believer is called, gifted, and sent.
- The gospel is not about prosperity, popularity but about transformation, freedom, and mission.
- True worship flows from love, not ritual.
Reflective Questions:
1. What “baggage” have I personally carried from traditional church culture (e.g., overdependence on programs, sermons, buildings, or leaders)?
2. How might my home or daily life become a hub of disciple-making?
3. Do I see myself as part of a movement—or more as a member of a monument? Why?
Pressing Toward the Promised Life
The shadow of Egypt lingers, but it need not define us. God is raising a generation willing to lay aside monuments and embrace movements—simple, Spirit-led communities where love flows, disciples are multiplied, and Christ is revealed as King.
"See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God." (Hebrews 3:12)
Let us not carry Egypt into the promised land. Let us instead carry Christ, and in Him, walk as a royal priesthood to the nations.
Introduction
If you were to strip the church of all its modern layers—buildings, budgets, programs, and titles—what would remain? Would there still be a church?
The book of Acts gives us a resounding yes. What we see in those early days is a church that was simple yet powerful. No cathedrals. No marketing. No celebrity preachers. Just Spirit-filled disciples living as family on mission together. And this simplicity was not weakness—it was the secret of their multiplication.
The DNA of the Early Church
Luke records the essence of the early church:
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common… They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
—Acts 2:42–47
Here we find the DNA of the early movement:
- Teaching the Word – grounding believers in truth.
- Fellowship – deep, organic relationships.
- Breaking of Bread – sharing life and meals as family.
- Prayer – dependence on the Spirit.
- Signs and Wonders – God confirming His presence.
- Generosity – caring for one another’s needs.
- Mission – daily multiplication of disciples.
Why Simplicity Multiplies
Simplicity doesn’t mean shallowness. It means clarity and focus. The early believers focused on what mattered most: Jesus, His Word, His Spirit, and His mission.
Because they were not tied down by buildings or programs, they were free to multiply anywhere and everywhere. Every home became a gathering place. Every believer became a disciple maker. Every meal table became an altar of fellowship and worship.
This is why movements spread, and monuments stagnate. The simpler the structure, the easier it is to multiply.
A Divine Family, Not an Institution
Notice the language of Acts: they were “together,” they shared “everything,” they ate with “glad and sincere hearts.” This was not an institution but a family.
Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). The early church’s strength was not in what they built, but in how they loved. That love created communities so attractive that the Lord kept adding to their number daily.
The church wasn’t just an event to attend; it was a family to belong to and a mission to live.
What This Means for Us Today
If we want to recover the power of the early church, we must recover its simplicity. That may mean:
- Turning our living rooms into house churches.
- Making meals and conversations part of discipleship.
- Prioritizing prayer and fellowship over programs.
- Equipping every believer—not just a few—to make disciples.
Movements are born when ordinary people live out the extraordinary gospel in simple, reproducible ways.
Reflection Questions
- Which part of the Acts 2 model resonates with me most—and why?
- What would it look like for my community to practice simplicity like the early believers?
- Am I willing to trade complexity and control for Spirit-led simplicity?
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for the simple yet powerful model of the early church. Teach us again to be devoted to Your Word, to prayer, to fellowship, and to mission. Strip away distractions, and let us rediscover the joy of being family on mission together. Amen.
Introduction: Why This Series?
For centuries, Christians have built churches, cathedrals, and institutions meant to honor God. Many of these structures stand as monuments of faith, inspiring awe for generations. But if we are honest, many of them are empty—visited by tourists rather than filled with worshipers.
A monumentmay inspire admiration, but it rarely multiplies life. Amovement, on the other hand, is alive. It spreads. It grows. It changes lives and transforms entire nations.
When Jesus launched His church, He never envisioned it as a monument of stone, tradition, or hierarchy. He birthed a movement of disciples making disciples, filled with His Spirit, and spreading from person to person, house to house, and nation to nation.
This blog series, From Monuments to Movement, is an invitation to rediscover that living, multiplying vision. Over the next few weeks, we’ll explore how the early church lived simply yet powerfully—and how we can return to that model today.
The Problem with Monuments
Monuments are static. They represent something that once was, but they themselves cannot reproduce. They are symbols of the past, not seeds of the future.
Many churches today risk becoming just that—impressive monuments that preserve tradition, but lack the dynamic life and multiplication of the Spirit. A beautiful building, a well-polished program, or a famous preacher may impress crowds, but does it produce disciples?
Jesus didn’t say, “I will build My monuments.” He said, “I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18). The church He envisioned was never meant to be static. It was meant to be a living, moving, multiplying family of God.
The Beauty of Movements
Movements are different. They are not defined by stone or tradition but by life, relationships, and mission.
Think of the early church in Acts. There were no grand cathedrals, no denominational headquarters, no polished programs. Instead, there were ordinary men and women filled with the Holy Spirit, meeting in homes, breaking bread together, and boldly sharing the gospel.
And what happened? “The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). That’s the fruit of a movement.
Movements are alive because they are fueled by the Spirit, not by structures. They grow because disciples make disciples. They spread because love compels them to go beyond walls and boundaries.
The Call to Return
In every generation, God raises a call to return from monuments back to movements. To trade our pride in buildings for passion in people. To move from preserving traditions to pursuing the lost. To shift from being spectators to becoming disciple makers.
The world is waiting—not for bigger monuments, but for a movement of believers who live simply, love deeply, and share Christ boldly.
Acts 1:8 reminds us of this calling: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Reflection Questions
- Have I been more focused on attending or admiring monuments rather than joining a movement?
- In what ways can I personally begin living as part of Jesus’ multiplying movement?
- What would it look like for my home, my small group, or my church to function more like the early church in Acts?
Closing Prayer
Lord Jesus, forgive us where we have settled for monuments instead of movements. Awaken in us the fire of Your Spirit. Teach us again to live simply, love deeply, and multiply boldly. Make us part of Your unstoppable movement that reaches the nations with Your love. Amen.